


A Weaponized Smile

by xwannaflyx



Series: Kishimoto Did the Girls Wrong [1]
Category: Naruto
Genre: BAMF!Ino, F/F, I'm sorry I had Sakura be rescued for "plot" reasons, Rescue Missions, Tsunade entertaining herself in random ways because might as well enjoy being Hokage, brief BRIEF implication of torture, oblivious idiots in love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-25
Updated: 2018-07-25
Packaged: 2019-06-16 01:01:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,412
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15425559
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xwannaflyx/pseuds/xwannaflyx
Summary: Ino spends a long time running away from Torture and Interrogation and even longer helping to run a hospital. However, in the end, blood calls to blood and Yamanakas have always had a rather bloody sense of vengeance.





	A Weaponized Smile

**Author's Note:**

> once again many thanks to chabbit for listening to me rant and nitpick babe I love you and this fic became gay because of you and Sakura so woo

Four year old Ino was tending the flowers while talking to Uncle Shikaku when her father finally stumbled home, a victorious smile on his haggard face. Shikaku shot to his feet, eager anticipation written across his features. “Did you get it?” he asked,  stepping forward to help support his old friend’s weight. 

Inoichi weakly punched his friend’s arm, chuckling. “Of course I got it. I even already told the Hokage so you better start moving your lazy ass,” he retorted. Shikaku clapped Inoichi on the shoulders, a wide vicious grin taking over his features. Carefully, he leaned his tired friend against a bench and raced away. Inoichi let out an sigh and slowly sank down, sitting against the bench and letting his head fall back onto the seat. He looked up to meet the imperious gaze of his four year old daughter, her arms firmly crossed over her chest. “Shouldn’t you be in bed, Ino-chan?” he teased, flopping his arm in her direction. 

“You’re late!” Ino exclaimed, shoving some flowers in his chest. Her frown wavered for a movement and he saw the worry in her eyes. “Were you at work again?” she asked, hands going to her hips and looking scarily like her mother. 

“Don’t you like that Papa works hard for this village, Ino-chan?” Inoichi teased, smiling. 

Ino scowled with all the simple righteous fury of a four year old. “No!” she snapped, stamping her foot. “You’re always tired when you come back!” Her lip quivered for a moment before she frowned decisively, “They’re overworking you, Papa!”

Inoichi sighed, thinking back on the terrors of his job and the moments of clarity. Reaching forward, he gently patted his furious daughter on the head, ignored her indignant shriek and furious swats at his wrist. “One day, Ino,” he said, uncharacteristic serious, “you will find that the most terrifying part of your job is not the horror over your own actions but how comfortably you sleep that night.” 

Ino stared at her father for a long while, slowly scanning the serious set of his features and the intent gleam in his eyes. “Mama’s already set the table for dinner,” she said finally, before turning and flouncing into the house. 

Inoichi merely chuckled, shaking his head at the spiritedness of his daughter. Taking in another breath, he slowly rose to his feet and trudged into their home. 

-x-

Ino hummed to herself as she walked through the Hokage Mansion, picking at the bouquet of flowers in her hand. Turning into the junior associate’s office, she rummaged around the cabinets until she found a vase and carefully set the flowers inside before filling the vase with water. Hinata had been complaining about the dreariness of the office in which she, Naruto, and various other Clan Heirs spent much of their day; Ino hoped that the bouquet she grabbed during her lunch break from the hospital would cheer up her quiet friend. 

“Bah!”

“Kya!”

Naruto and Ino stared at each other, wide eyed and clutching kunais. “Don’t scare me like that!” Naruto exclaimed, throwing the blanket off and getting off the couch, storing his kunai away. “What if I stabbed you!”

“I could say the same!” Ino retorted, slipping her kunai back into her pouch and shoving her bangs back for a moment. “You almost gave me a heart attack!” She carefully placed the vase down on the center table. “What are you even doing in the office? What about your lunch break?”

Naruto snorted, folding the blanket back up and shuffling back to his desk, “What break,” he whined, shuffling some papers around and digging around for a pen. “Besides, this is my office? What are  _ you  _ doing in here?” He let out a small noise of victory when he finally found a pen in the mess that he called his desk. 

Ino sniffed delicately, and returned to arranging the flowers to resolve some slight flaw that was only perceptible to her. “Hinata said the office was too dreary and I thought some flowers might cheer it up.” She eyed the arrangement for a moment then plucked off a single leaf from one of the stems. “I don’t expect  _ you  _ to understand,” Ino added haughtily, tossing the leaf into the trash bin. 

Mumbling something about girls, Naruto shuffled some more papers, looking for  _ something _ in that mess. “Oh yeah!” he suddenly exclaimed, accidentally knocking some papers to the floor. “How’s the hospital running without Sakura?” He definitely remembered filing the paperwork for Sakura to go on some weeklong mission, something related to missing nin gangs, several days ago. “She kept fussing over details before she left.”

Tossing her long hair over her shoulder, Ino inspected her nails. “Despite what Forehead-girl thinks,” she said primly, “we’re  _ fine _ .” Ino let out a slight huff of a laugh, thinking about her old friend scrambling back and forth and terrorizing the doctors and nurses the handful of days before her mission. “Honestly, that girl worries too much. The hospital isn’t going to fall apart because she’s away for a day.”

“She told me the interns might,” Naruto said. 

Ino made a considering noise of agreement and they shared a rather commiserating looking. It seemed interns were, across disciplines, typically works in progress. “Honestly, they just mainly forget to sleep,” Ino said with a laugh, “they mean well.”

“Same here,” Naruto agreed, shaking his head. “But  _ technically _ , according to Tsunade-baachan, I’m still an intern so,” he trailed off and shrugged, mouth twisting wryly to the side. They shared another commiserating look, both remembering what internships were like under Tsunade. 

Checking the time, Ino let out a little huff of annoyance. “I gotta be getting back,” she said. Exchanging quick goodbyes, Ino began hurrying to the hospital, hoping against hope that everything  _ hadn’t  _ caught on fire while she was gone and prove Sakura correct. Naruto let out a little sigh and buried himself back into his paperwork, mumbling statutes and laws under his breath. 

-x-

Ino was reading a patient’s chart and writing out her instructions for a nurse when Naruto barged rather rudely into the hospital and grabbed her by the shoulders. “Naruto!” she snapped, swatting at him with her chart. “What the hell, this is a  _ hospital _ ! Sakura might allow this but--”

“Ino,” Naruto said blankly, his eyes looking through her. “Ino... It’s...” he trailed off, mouth working uselessly. His hands slowly slipped down from her shoulders to hang limply at his side. 

Scowling, Ino passed the diagnostic to another nurse and gave sharp instructions to a doctor on where to take the patient. “Naruto, we’re a little busy so if you could just  _ spit it out _ ,” she snapped, grabbing her friend by the shoulders and shaking him slightly. 

Naruto finally met her gaze. “It’s Sakura,” he said, his eyes bleak. “They lost contact with her two days ago and they think she was probably captured by the group.” He buried his face in his hands, “Ino, what.... What am I supposed to do?”

Ino froze, her impatience replaced by flinty determination. “What,” she stated flatly. 

“Ino-san, what do you want us to do with--”

“Not now!” she snapped at the unfortunate nurse. Letting out a little squeak, the nurse scrambled away to find another doctor. Turning back to Naruto, Ino guided him to a chair, “Explain.”

Naruto’s legs seemed to collapse under him. “The mission....” he trailed off and cleared his throat. Seeming to gather his thoughts, Naruto continued, “She was supposed to do reconnaissance against the new group of missing nin in the area. Figure out the leadership and infiltrate if possible. But she stopped contacting us two days ago and Tsunade-baachan finally tells us  _ now _ ,” he trailed off, clenching his fist. He shook his head, “If I just knew the location I could chase after her but the guy in interrogation is saying nothing. Just cackling his head off at Ibiki everytime they question him.” Naruto let out a frustrated snarl and slammed his fist down on his chair, “if we just  _ knew _ .” 

Ino hummed soothingly, gently pulling Naruto into a hug. “It’s going to be alright,” she comforted, knowing how much he hated feeling helpless. Her eyes sharpened and the corners of her lips pulled up into a hard smile. “I’m going to  _ make  _ it right.”

Naruto let out another dazed nod, clearly not actually listening. Gesturing in a doctor, Ino left him clear instructions to make sure Naruto got some snacks and liquids into his system before he was allowed to leave. Standing, Ino stalked out of the hospital and marched towards Torture and Interrogation, her mouth set in a grim frown. 

“Stop!” called a voice as she shoved through the door without stopping. 

Info whipped around, her teeth set in a rather threatening smile. “See this?” she snapped pulling on her ponytail then jabbing a finger at her eyes. “Do you know what this means?”

The chuunin froze, eyes flicking over her feature. “Uhh Yamanaka-san I didn't know you were...” he trailed off. He glanced to the ceiling then at her and heaved a sigh, “I don't think I'm supposed to let you in?” he finally said slowly, voice already sinking in resignation. 

Smiling sweetly, Ino condescendingly patted the boy's cheek. “Stand aside darling. I need to talk to Ibiki.” The boy winced and slowly stood aside, mouth opening and closing soundlessly. 

“I don't think-" the boy began, finally finding his voice.

“You can try to challenge a Yamanaka after you grow an actual spine,” Ibiki said gruffly, boots echoing through the hallway. “You're a hundred years too early to challenge  _ this _ Yamanaka.”

Into straightened, a slow smile growing on her face. “Ibiki-sensei,” she said fondly, “you really tell a girl the sweetest things.” She gently maneuvered the boy out of the way and marched up to the head of Torture and Interrogation. She stopped a couple steps away to prevent herself from having to tilt up to look Ibiki in the eye. Silently thanking Sakura about her tip on heels, Ino smiled gently. “I want in his interrogation.”

Ibiki’s smile twisted the scar on his face further. “I don't know what you're  talking about Yamanaka.”

Into cocked her head to the side and placed a hand on her hip. “Ibiki,” she crooned, a patronizing smile directed at her former sensei, “don’t don't lie to the best liar you've ever met. You'll just embarrass both of us.” She leaned in, her smile fading into a vicious curl of her lips, “I want in. On. His. Interrogation.”

Ibiki looked at her silently for a little while then snorted. Turned around, he crooked her fingers, indicating she should follow. “I already softened him up for you,” he said dryly, leading her deeper into the bowels of T&I. 

Ino’s smile widened, “Ibiki, don’t let anyone tell you you don’t know how to treat a girl,” she said cheerfully, walking alongside her old mentor, the iconic blond ponytail swinging with her steps. They both stopped in front of a sealed door. Smiling grimly, Ibiki bit his thumb and smeared his blood across the seal, causing the black ink to slither away and the door to creak open. “Thank you Ibiki-sensei,” Ino said, squeezing his arm before she straightened her shoulders and walked haughtily into the room. 

The man was blindfolded with seals written on every inch of exposed skin. He was mumbling to himself, muscles twitching sporadically. Ino stared critically at the man for a moment then took two echoing steps forward, enjoying the ring of her heels against the metal walls and the twitch the noise elicited. “I’m tell you nothing,” he spat, turning his head and spitting on the floor. 

Ino hummed, and reaching forward, took off his blindfold. “Hello,” she greeted sweetly, smiling. She carefully tucked her bang back behind her ear and met his muddy dark eyes with her own. “You don’t have to tell me  _ anything," _ she crooned.

Ibiki slowly raised an eyebrow and crossed the door as a scream echoed through the hallway. She had always been the best of his students.

-x-

When Ino stalked out of the room, the door narrowly missing the chuunin that Ibiki had assigned to the door, her clothes and hair were immaculate. “Uh, ma’am,” the chuunin began hesitantly. Ino turned a dangerous smile on the chuunin, her eyes shining coldly. “Ibiki-sama asked you to report,” he began slowly before taking a swift step back when her smile widened. “Um.”

“Tell Ibiki-sensei I’m quite busy for the foreseeable future, will you?” she asked pleasantly before turning in a tornado of blond hair, purple, and deadly intent and stalking out of Torture and Interrogation. She smile benignly at greetings called out from others and walked steadily toward Hokage Tower, suppressing the slow and deadly rise of chakra within her system. “Could you ask Tsunade-sama if she has some time?” she asked Shizune, smiling sweetly. 

“Ino!” Startled, Shizune began to reach out her hand towards her former student before swiftly withdrawing. “Of course,” she said, a little more gently, the slight brush against her chakra telling her more than enough. Ino waited patiently, waving pleasantly at people who recognized her. “She has some time,” Shizune said gently, sticking her head back out of the Hokage’s office. 

“Thank you Shizune-san,” Ino said pleasantly before brushing past and walking into the door. She swiftly stood at attention as Tsunade turned her chair, facing her former student. “Tsunade-sama.”

“Yes?” she asked, hands gathered under her chin and elbows resting on the table. “You have something for me, Ino?”

Ino subconsciously straightened, firming the line of her spine against Tsunade’s intent stare. “I would like permission to take a mission, Tsunade-sama.” She stilled the trembling in her hands with brutal effort and carefully drew back her shoulders, the line of her mouth firm and unmoving. 

Tsunade stared at Ino for a long time, ignoring Shizune’s steadily more worried gaze switching between the two. Reaching out one hand, Tsunade flipped through some papers before she found the scroll with Sakura’s last report. “I’m guessing it’s a very specific mission you want?” Tsunade said calmly, picking up the scroll and sitting back on her chair. 

Ino swallowed thickly. “Yes, Tsunade-sama.”

“Ino-” Shizune began, her brows wrinkling slightly with concern. 

“And you can bring back your fellow shinobi?” Tsunade asked crisply, slowly unfurling the scroll. 

Ino resisted the clench of her teeth and straightened imperceptibly. “Absolutely, Tsunade-sama.”

“And if I say no.”

Ino couldn’t help the way her breath escaped her in slight gasp. Staring at the perceptive eyes of her former teacher, Ino clenched her teeth and locked her knees. “Tsunade-sama,” she began, fighting the shaking in her voice. “I’m the best Yamanaka  _ ever _ and I’m the best bet we have to getting in and out without-”

“And if I say no.”

Ino swallowed down the way her lung squeezed and casually relaxed her stance. Smiling, she replied, “then I would respectfully like to request some vacation time, Tsunade-sama.” Shizune stared blankly at Ino as Tsunade slowly raised her brows. Ino allowed her shoulders to slump and pouted, “Tsunade-sama, I’ve been training all these interns for  _ months  _ and I haven’t taken a proper vacation in  _ years _ and it really isn’t good for my skin,” she said, allowing a whine to slip into her tone. “And all I’ve got going for me is my looks so I need to make sure to maintain it,” she added, smiling sweetly and patting her own cheek. 

Tsunade suddenly laughed, doubling over at her desk. While Shizune fluttered over her, asking questions in a steadily more concerned voice, Ino slowly allowed herself to relax. “Hah! Only good for your looks!” Tsunade snorted, smacking the table as she continued laughing. Ino sniffed delicately as Shizune withdrew with affronted grace. Papers started to fall on the floor as Tsunade continued laughing. 

“Tsunade-sama!” Shizune finally snapped, arms crossed and a dangerous expression on her face. 

Tsunade rapidly sobered, unable to help the persistent smirk on her face. “Alright, Ino,” she said, tossing Ino the scroll. “You got a mission.”

Ino caught the scroll, fighting her own smirk. “Thank you Tsunade-sama,” she said straightening and saluting her Hokage. Tsunade laughed again and waved her out as Shizune began admonishing her for her behavior. 

“You have things other than your looks.” Ino stifled a yelp as Sai emerged from the shadows, carefully hanging a mask at his hip. “You do,” he added, a little more earnestly and his grip on her forearm gentle. 

Ino laughed and patted his cheek. “I know darling,” she said cheerfully, pocketing the scroll. 

Sai continued frowning, walking by her side. “Sakura would punch me through a wall if she knew I allowed you to say something as ridiculous as you only having your looks,” he added a little more insistently. His lips were pursed as he stared off into the distant, probably thinking about Sakura dealing out just desserts on the various stupid men of Konoha. 

Ino giggled, remembering the rather infamous incident that ended with Sakura being stuck with D Ranks for a solid two weeks and four unconscious tokubestu jounin drinking out of a straw for three months. “No worries, darling,” she said cheerfully, bumping her shoulder into his in a companionable way. “I won’t tell if you don’t.”

“She’ll know anyway,” Sai grumbled, before he shook off the memories with a sigh. “Want any backup?” he asked, nodding toward the scroll with a pensive frown on his face.

Ino allowed the bloodthirsty smile that she had been suppressing for the past few hours slowly crawl across her face. “I think I have it,” she said, pleasantly enough. Sai looked at her for a long time then gave her one of his grimace-smiles, a knowing glint in his eyes. 

“I know.”

-x-

Sakura was desperately focused on controlling her limited chakra  _ around  _ the seven limiters that the assholes had slapped on her when the cave began shaking. Sparing a brief moment to internally complain about the cliche of caves with a sudden and annoying dash of sympathy for Kakashi-sensei’s phobia, Sakura hissed as she misdirected her chakra and felt one of the tags greedily suck on her reserves. 

“So that’s how they stopped you,” said an all too familiar and very  _ very  _ welcome voice. Sakura slowly raised her eyes to see Ino with her bright blue eyes and iconic purple outfit standing in front of her, smiling with one hand on her hip. “That explains a lot.”

“Ino,” Sakura gasped out, seeing the shadows behind her. She wished abruptly that she had even better control, enough to stand back to back with Ino. 

“Got it,” Ino said cheerfully, quickly ripping off three of her tags. Sakura wheezed at the reprieve, slowly allowing chakra to circulate in those freed areas and trying to fight the lightheadedness that rushed in from lessening the ironclad control she had been exerting for what felt like forever. Looking up, she watched Ino spring from surface to surface, flipping gracefully through the air and planting a fist in one shinobi’s face. She smiled, a gorgeous bloodthirsty smile as the blow sent the man into the wall. “I learned under Tsunade-sama too, you know,” she said, throwing her head back with a laugh. 

Sakura watched as her body began to glow with chakra, her vivid blue eyes shining with an almost unnatural light. She was, Sakura figured, feeling rather vindictive if she was springing into the fight with fists clenched instead of mind-whamming them into ripping each other to pieces. Watching Ino physically throw one missing nin into another with a roar, Sakura managed to work off the stupid ropes she was tied in while appreciating the show of Ino’s back muscles rippling. (She silently thanked Shishou for making her learn how to multitask although she wasn’t sure that Shishou really meant for it to be used in this way.) Once the ties were off, she viciously ripped off the other tags, letting her chakra circulate several times through with a low, relieved sigh. Cracking open her eyes, she just caught the sight of Ino executing a beautiful thigh-choke-flip which Kiba liked to wryly call “the best way to die.” Shaking her head and bracing herself against the wall, Sakura slowly stood up as Ino also straightened from her crouch over the felled-probably dead-man. 

“Hey,” she greeted weakly, giving Ino a rather sheepish wave. 

“I can’t believe you,” Ino snapped rather flatly. Sakura continued to offer her a weak, apologetic smile. “None of these people should have been able to get you,” Ino continued, eyes roving from one injury to another and her lips pursed in a firm, angry line. “I should  _ not  _ have needed to come here to give these incompetents a piece of my mind.”

Sakura laughed meekly, scratching the back of her head “I was sloppy and they managed to slap like four chakra seals on me before I could do anything,” she admitted ruefully, offering Ino her palms with defeat. “I’m sorry I worried you.”

Ino scowled, her hands settling on her lips and a scowl fixed on her lips. “I-” Ino began, drawing in a deep breath to continued yelling at her. 

“You’re really pretty when you’re beating people up,” Sakura blurted out before clapping a hand over her mouth with a mortified squeak, cheeks quickly warming. 

Ino blinked, her lecture derailed. “Um, thanks,” she said slowly, uncertain. 

“I was almost jealous of the last guy,” Sakura added because apparently her brain was a fucking traitor and blurted out embarrassing secrets like an idiot. 

“Really?” Ino asked, pink diffusing her cheeks even as her eyes turned a little more critical. 

“Yeah,” Sakura blurted because for some reason her brain had decided that getting rescued by Yamanaka Ino, the resident heartbreaker of both sides in Konoha, was what really caused her motormouth when she had held out for days under torture. “You, uh, fight good.” She felt her face become hot and despaired further. If she hadn’t already scared away Ino with needing to be rescued and with the intimate knowledge of her dorky younger self, then the color clash of her tomato face and her pink hair would certainly scare her away. 

“Well, you’re not the  _ only  _ person trained by Tsunade-sama,” Ino said, her eyes narrowing. 

“We should get back,” Sakura quickly said, averting her eyes from the fetching sight of the normally immaculate Ino with tendrils of hair escaping her ponytail. “Uh, report in with Shishou, you know.”

Ino continued staring at Sakura for a long time before humming noncommittally. Taking the pity/mercy acknowledgement, Sakura quickly gathered together her things and straightened just in time to watch Ino casually untie her hair, causing the cascade of blonde hair to ripple down her shoulders and back. Choking on her tongue, Sakura quickly turned around and stumbled blindly to the exit. 

Ino watched Sakura’s back as she quickly exited the cave and slowly smiled. 

-x-

“And that concludes my report, Shishou,” Sakura said seriously, saluting Tsunade-sama who hadn’t stopped cackling throughout her entire report. “Shishou,” she whined, now that her report was over. 

Tsunade sobered and eyed her former student critically. “You really shouldn’t have gotten so careless, Sakura,” she said, sobering. Sakura bowed her head, feeling a flush of embarrassment come to her cheeks. After fighting far more dangerous adversaries and winning, she had allowed herself to get sloppy against standard missing nin; it really was on her. “Perhaps we’ll have to find time to train next week,” she added eagerly, smiling turning a little vicious. Sakura suppressed a groan and acquiesced to the nicely worded demand with a nod. “It really only takes one mistake, Sakura,” Tsunade added, her eyes turning stern and serious.

“I’m sorry, Shishou,” Sakura said meekly, meeting her former teacher’s gaze again. “It won’t happen again.”

“See that it doesn’t,” Tsunade said mildly before dismissing the issue and turning to Ino’s silent form. “Your report?”

“Nothing that Sakura didn’t already say, Tsunade-sama,” Ino said seriously, handing over her scroll. Tsunade hummed, unrolling the scroll and giving it a quick scan before handing it off to Shizune. “The gang of missing nin were neutralized and shouldn’t be a threat to Konoha’s security again.”

“Alright if that’s all...?” Tsunade began, already turning her attention away. 

“Tsunade-sama,” Ino said abruptly, taking a step forward. All three people turned to Ino, surprised at her departure from protocol. “I would like to request reassignment,” she said, her lips firm but pale. 

“Ino-” Shizune protested, frowning. Sakura remained silent, her eyes fixed her on her sandals and a lump in her throat. 

“Why should I?” Tsunade asked mildly, crossing her arms over her chest with a slight smirk.

“Tsunade-sama-” Shizune began, her frown deepening.

“I do good work at the hospital, Tsunade-sama,” Ino said slowly, seeming to weigh each word before it left her lips. “But I’m not needed there.” She continued before Shizune could protest again. “I do good work with Torture and Interrogation,” she said swiftly, her jaw locking. “I do  _ necessary _ work there. Work that no one other than I could do.” She straightened, her face deadly serious, “I could better serve Konoha in a different capacity, Tsunade-sama. Please allow it.”

“Ibiki’s been wanting to promote you for a long time, you know,” Tsunade began, ignoring the slightly betrayed stare that Shizune and Sakura gave her. “Been harassing me about reassignment for the past several months. Months, I’m certain, you were supposed to be working at the hospital.”

Ino’s smile is wry. “You encouraged hobbies, Tsunade-sama,” Ino said dryly. She brushed her hair off her shoulders in a single, careless motion. “I was just following orders.”

Tsunade hummed, continuing to stare at Ino and continuing to ignore the betrayed-swiftly-becoming-anger expression on Shizune’s face. Sakura’s eyes remained glued to her feet but her fingers were tangled together and almost white from pressure. “He can have you, I suppose-” Tsunade said slowly.

“Tsunade-sama!” Shizune protested. 

“Thank you, Tsunade-sama,” Ino said with a low bow.

“-for half the time.” Both Shizune and Ino froze, Ino still half bent in a bow. “I can’t  _ reward  _ Ibiki’s whining-it’ll give this reassignment a dangerous precedent. Next thing you know, Naruto will think that whining will get him this seat,” she added, an amused grimace pulling the corners of her mouth. Her expression became serious again and she looked at her student for a long time. “You’ll work part time at both the hospital and Torture and Interrogation, Ino.”

“Thank you Tsunade-sama,” Ino said, slowly straightened with a slightly quizzical frown on her face. 

“But make no mistake, Ino,” Tsunade interrupted sternly, meeting Ino’s gaze with heavy intent, “you  _ are  _ needed at the hospital too.”

A pleased blush filled Ino’s face and she looked down bashfully. “Thank you Tsunade-sama.”

“Dismissed,” Tsunade finally said curtly, waving them out of the room. Sakura turned abruptly and marched out of the room. Ino offered her another bow before bouncing out of the room, her hair moving fluidly behind her. “Ah young’uns,” she said cheerfully, turning to Shizune only to be fixed with a rather murderous stare. “Uh Shizune,” she began a little hesitantly.

“That wasn’t funny,” Shizune snapped before dropping the pile of paperwork and scrolls she was holding on the already messy desk and marching out of the room herself. Tsunade groaned then sighed, resigning herself to figuring out the chaos of her desk without Shizune’s help for the next couple hours. 

“Sakura! _ Sakura! _ ” Ino called, half running after her friend. “Sakura, what the hell,” she finally complained, barely managing to grab Sakura’s wrist and twist her around. Ino startled back, genuinely shocked and a little hurt when Sakura reached forward  _ ripped  _ Ino’s hand off of her and threw her a glare before stalking off again. “What the hell?” she whispered, staring down at her wrist and noting the darkening splotches. “What the hell,” she hissed, straightening and marching after Sakura. Shinobi and civilians alike scattered away from the two furious woman barrelling through the street toward the forested training grounds, Sakura’s steps leaving broken cobblestone and small dents in the asphalt. Ino looked no less furious for all that she was less destructive, her hair whipping around her from unseen and unfelt winds. 

Ino finally caught up with Sakura at an empty training ground. (Well, no, she didn’t catch up so much as she noted they were at a training ground with no collateral damage close by then reared back and punched the ground as hard as she could, forcing Sakura to stop as the ground rippled and shook under their feet.) “What!” Sakura snarled, whipping around with one fist already glowing.

“What the hell do you mean  _ what _ ?” Ino snarled right back, bracing her feet on the dirt. “You’re the one that ripped my hand off hard enough to leave marks!” she snapped, gesturing at her wrist.

Sakura flinched back, her expression suddenly crumbling. “I’m sorry,” she said lowly, her hand slowly lowering and her chakra settling within her skin. “I.... I didn’t mean-”

“To what, Sakura?” Ino demanded, allowing her hands to lower but keeping them fisted at her side. “One moment you said I fight well and the next you’re trying to leave bruises on my wrist and let me tell you,” she snarled, jabbing her finger toward Sakura and steeling herself against the way she flinched back a step, “that sends some mixed signals okay. And a few red flags too.”

“I said you fight good,” Sakura mumbled, staring down at the ground again, her brows furrowed together. Her hands twisted together and her knuckles went white before she finally relaxed. “I said you fight good.”

“Right,” Ino said exasperated, throwing her hands in the air, “So you said I fight good which is grammatically incorrect which  _ you don’t do _ and then suddenly you’re  _ mad  _ at me?”

“It’s fine, Ino,” Sakura said, her shoulders slumping. Her face was tired when she lifted her eyes and pushed her bangs away from her face. “I get it. It’s fine.” There was somethin defeated about her stance and Ino ignored the way it made her want to hesitate. 

“Oh  _ great _ ,” Ino said sarcastically, rolling her eyes. “That’s just  _ fine  _ then because  _ you  _ get it. Surprisingly enough,  _ Sakura _ ,” Ino growled, impatiently flipping her hair behind her shoulder, “ _ I have no idea what’s going on _ .”

There was a moment where Sakura bit her lip, her old heistation and insecurities haunting her. But it was only a moment. “Okay look,” she finally snapped, taking a strong step forward and sticking her chin up slightly. “We’ve been friends for, like, years, right?” She bulldozed past even as Ino opened her mouth, “And I’ve probably been into you for the same exact length of time and I just think it’s pretty hypocritical and  _ unprofessional  _ of you to suddenly be uncomfortable with working in the hospital because I made things a little too obvious.” Sakura let out a slow, measured breath when she finished, her jaw tight.

Ino blinked, mouth opening and closing soundlessly. “ _ What? _ ” she finally snarled, eyes flashing dangerously. 

“I think I made things pretty clear!” Sakura snapped, gesturing between the two of them with jerky movements, “and then you were unprofessional and asked Tsunade to take you off them rotation!”

“Okay!” Ino spat, rising to her full height and tossing her hair out of her face. “ _ Not everything is about you _ -”

“Oh because  _ clearly  _ there’s  _ other reasons _ for you to suddenly quit other than me being an idiot and blurting that  _ I’m in love with you- _ ”

“You’re in love with me?”

Abruptly, Sakura wished that she had Kakashi-sensei’s ability to sink into the ground and disappear. She briefly debated if she could maybe punch a hole into the ground and disappear. She discarded that plan then allowed herself a moment to pray to the gods for an invasion. Her prayers were unanswered. “Yeah,” she croaked before she cleared her throat and gathered herself back up. “Like you didn’t know,” she blustered, gesturing at Ino’s, well, everything. 

“I thought you just liked my hair and my muscles,” Ino blurted, blinking blankly. 

Sakura stared at Konoha’s resident heartbreaker for a long time. “Oh my god, what?”

“I didn’t know you liked, like, me?” Ino added, a little dubiously. Her fingers toyed with the ends of her hair, a slight frown crossing her face. 

“Oh my  _ god _ ,  _ what? _ ” 

“You weren’t that obvious!” Ino protested, throwing up her hands. “Most of the time people are pretty straightforward if they want to date me-”

“Ino I said  _ you fight good! _ ”

“ _ That is not a confession! _ ” Ino kicked the dirt a little and pouted slightly. “Besides, Kiba and Rumiko said that before too.”

“ _ You dated both of the people you mentioned _ .”

Ino frowned. “They’re cute and they asked?” she said a little quizzically. 

“ _ Oh my god _ .” Sakura buried her face in her hands and resigned herself to being an idiot and Ino to being oblivious despite her, well, everything. “I’ve been in love with you probably since you gave me that stupid ribbon that I still have,” Sakura finally said, slightly muffled from her hands. Ino squeaked. “And also I’m now really hurt that you think I would harass you at work or whatever made you want to quit the hospital.”

“Wha-Sakura you idiot! I’m quitting the hospital because  _ you  _ got captured!” Ino reached forward and, after a brief wrestling match in which she used lots of dirty tricks, she pulled Sakura’s hands away from her red face. “I’m not doing it to avoid  _ you _ .”

“But...” Sakura trailed off, ignoring the warmth of Ino’s hands on her wrist. “The timing...”

Rolling her eyes, Ino gestured sharply and dismissively. “T&I couldn’t get anything out of the missing nin but it took me like ten minutes in the same room as him to get your location.  _ You got captured, Sakura _ ,” she said, her expression gentling. “It made me realize how much I had abandoned the responsibilities of the Yamanaka clan. And-” she cut herself off and slowly withdrew her hands from Sakura’s wrists. “I’m really,  _ really  _ good at this, Sakura,” she said slowly, her expression strangely vulnerable. “I’m pretty talented at healing and I fight alright but information is where I’m  _ in my element _ .” She fell silent, looking at Sakura’s blank features. “I could help so many more people,” she added, a little defensively. “I-” Ino let out an abrupt grunt as she felt her ribs groan in protest as Sakura gathered her in an all-encompassing, crushing hug. “Uh?”

“Sorry,” Sakura said, giving her one more squeeze before carefully placing her back down. “I’m sorry I just exploded all my issues on you without cause. You deserve better from me.”

After inspecting Sakura’s expression for any lingering secrets, Ino finally giggled. “I can’t believe you thought I would avoid you because of a confession.”

Groaning, Sakura gently pushed Ino’s shoulder. “I know-what was I thinking? You literally requested a mission with Kiba like three hours after you guys broke up.” 

Shrugging carelessly, Ino bumped Sakura’s shoulder with a bit of a conspiratorial wink. “So where’s my date, honeybunches?”

“What?” Sakura sputtered, taking a half step back. 

Also flinching back, Ino stared at Sakura for a long time. “I... You’re not taking me out on a date?” she asked, a little quietly and a lot hurt. 

“I’d date the shit out of you,” Sakura blurted and immediately resigned herself to being in a constant state of embarrassment around Ino. “Um, I mean, do you want to go the new tea shop with me for lunch?”

Ino hummed, looking at the darkening sky. “Make that a dinner date at the oden shop and I’ll take it.”

“Yeah-oden-date-great-yes,” Sakura blurted, tongue tripping over her words. Then she paused and snagged Ino’s hand, pulling her gently to turn around. Ino turned, a fond smile already growing on her lips. “I-um, you do like me too, right?” she asked hesitantly, staring down hard at her calloused knuckles on Ino’s pale skin.

She was forced to look up when Ino flicked her forehead, a frown on her face. “Dummy,” she snapped, “I’ve probably been in love with you since that time you said you could help and picked up a goddamn boulder the same size as Hokage Tower.” 

Sakura flushed bright red; she had picked up that boulder because she had noticed Ino and wanted to impress her. She decided not to mention that. “Oh.”

Giggling, Ino twisted her wrist out of her grip and interlaced their fingers. “You owe me a date, sweet cheeks,” she said, pulling her behind her. 

Sakura fell silent, staring down at their hands, palm touching. She looked back up when Ino snorted. When she raised a brow, Ino snorted again and shook her head, pressing her lips together. “What?” Sakura finally demanded, her impatience getting the better of her.

“This whole conversation,” Ino said with a laugh, shaking her head and causing Sakura to get distracted by the soft wave of blond hair. “I can’t believe you complained to me about Sasuke and Naruto when you confessed by saying  _ I fight good _ .”

“Oh god,” Sakura grumbled, burying her face with her one free hand. “Can we just never mention this again?” she asked, mortified beyond belief. 

“Hell no!” Ino laughed, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “I’m going to tell everyone that I won over the Godaime’s apprentice with my muscles and fighting prowess.” She laughed as Sakura hunched her shoulders, cheeks flushing a bright red. 

“You might as well mention your hair too,” she admitted, resigning herself to her fate. Abruptly, Ino stopped laughing, her own cheeks turning red. “Are you  _ blushing? _ ”

“No!” Ino snapped, before yanking her hand away from Sakura’s and flouncing away-ostensibly still in the direction of the oden shop.

“Oh my god, you are! I can make you blush?” she called out after her, running to keep up.

“No!” Ino snapped, walking even faster and quickly covering her warm cheeks with her slightly cooler hands. 

“Ino, come on! Wait up!” Sakura yelled, laughing. She finally caught up a block away from the oden shop and carefully caught up Ino’s hand in her own, gently interlacing her fingers. After giving her a haughty look, Ino ignored her actions save for a gentle squeeze of their interlaced fingers. Sakura stopped laughing, the happiness fading into a fond, quieter smile. “Okay,” she said, bumping her shoulder into Ino’s. “Okay.”

**Author's Note:**

> I realize that Sakura can probably rescue herself but I needed the excuse and I figured that I'll take the excuse that she has limited chakra reserves and anyone else (other than Naruto and Sasuke's ridiculous levels) technically should have died with that many tags on them


End file.
